Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying revealed the new sanctions at a press conference on Monday, calling on the United States to “stop interfering in China’s international affairs.”
Among the US officials named by Hua are Senators Rubio and Cruz, both former presidential candidates, US Representative Chris Smith, Ambassador-General for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and the Congressional Executive Commission on China.
“I must point out that Xinjiang’s affairs are China’s internal affairs and the United States has no right to interfere,” Hua said.
“We urge the United States to immediately withdraw its wrong decision and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs or undermining China’s interests. And we will make further reactions based on the development of the situation.”
Hua said the sanctions would take effect on Monday, but did not provide further details on the measures or what they might entail.
Washington’s sanctions against Chinese officials include freezing all American assets and a blockade that prevents American citizens from doing business with them. Anyone sanctioned by the US also faces visa restrictions, preventing them and their families from entering the US.
China’s western Xinjiang region is culturally and ethnically different from much of the rest of the country, with a large Turkish minority population, and for years has had an awkward relationship with the Beijing government.
The United States State Department estimates that since 2015 up to two million Muslim-majority and other Turkish minority Uighurs have been imprisoned in huge re-education camps in Xinjiang, as part of a region-wide crackdown by Beijing.
“The United States will not stand idly by as the (Chinese Communist Party) commits human rights abuses against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday.
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